Shoe bag



I. J. WATSON Feb. 5, 1957 SHOE BAG Filed June 10, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORQ jsaZE/la :1. Wa/son Agents Feb. 5, 1957 1. J. WATSON 2,780,260

SHOE BAG Filed June 10, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GZ fi m

INVEN TOR.

/sabe//0 J Wa/son BYE Agents United States Patent SHOE BAG Isabella J. Watson, New York, N. Y. Application June 10, 1953, Serial No. 360,736

2 Claims. (Cl. 150-1) This invention relates to a device for retaining shoes, and more particularly a shoe bag wherein shoes are individually racked. The invention is especially useful in its application to a shoe bag for suspension in a closet, to which use, however, it is not restricted.

The familiar type of shoe bag comprises a panel having thereon, extending in vertically-spaced horizontal rows, a plurality of pockets-one for each shoe. Such pockets collect dust and dirt, not only from the shoes themselves but from surrounding objects and the air, and it is a difiicult matter to keep such shoe bags clean. If not kept clean the pockets apply dirt therein to clean shoes placed in them. Furthermore, when such shoe bags are hung in a closet, they normally permit the shoes therein to come into contact with wearing apparel in the closet to the detriment of such apparel. Additionally, the pockets, which are stitched or otherwise fixed to the panel of the bag, tend to stiffen the bag and to hold the shoes therein in rigid position, thereby making it difficult to roll the bag when it is to be used for packing and transporting shoes. Finally, the formation of such pockets and the operation of suitably stitching or otherwise connecting them to the panel involves considerable expense.

I have now found it possible to construct a device Wherein the individual shoes are separately supported upon the panel without employing the usual pockets. The collection of dust and dirt, and its contact with the shoes placed in the device are thereby avoided; and the shoe retainer itself is easily cleaned and kept clean. In addition the invention provides simple and easy means for covering the shoes when in the bag to prevent contact of adjacent objects therewith. Still further, shoe bags constructed in accordance with the invention provide means for holding the shoes upon the panel which do not stiffen the bag and which do not hold the shoes therein in rigid position, so that there is no difiiculty in altering the positions of the shoes in the bag and in rolling the bag with the shoes therein for packing and transportation. Finally the means for holding the shoes upon the panel of the bag is inexpensive in itself and may be simply and inexpensively attached to the panel.

According to the invention a shoe bag is made in the form of a panel to which strips are shown intermittently fixed in horizontal position to provide a series of loops upon the panel for holding individual shoes thereon. The panel may be flexible and the strips may be tapes in order to provide a simple, inexpensive and easily rolled bag. However, such is not necessarily the case. A cover is provided for the panel which may be easily, simply and quickly opened to remove the shoes or closed to prevent contact of shoes in the bag with adjacent articles of clothing or other objects.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a device according to the invention showing the cover opened and a pair of shoes contained in the shoe retainer; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another shoe bag con- 'ice structed and arranged according to the invention, also showing the cover opened and a pair of shoes in the shoe bag.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, there is shown a shoe bag 10, comprising a panel 11, and a pair of strips 12, 12, intermittently fixed to the panel 11, as at 13, 13, in horizontal position to provide a series of openended loops 14, 14, on the panel. A pair of shoes S, S, are shown inserted into the upper and lower right-hand loops, respectively, from which they hang downwardly with one side of each in flat contact with the panel 11.

The panel 11 may be made of any suitable material. It is presently preferred to form the panel of a flexible material as a stout fabric or a durable plastic, in order to facilitate rolling the shoe bag for transportation and storage. When so formed, suitable hems or reinforcements 15, 15, 15, are provided at the outer edges of the panel 11. It is also preferred to provide eyelets 16, 16, in the upper hem of the panel whereby the shoe bag 10 may be suspended, as from hooks 17, 17, or the like. Obviously other means might be provided for suspending the shoe bag in closed position. Other eyelets 18, 18, may be provided in the lower hem of the panel 11 to facilitate further attachment of the shoe bag as by nails 17a, 17a, to a supporting surface, for example the back of a door, with respect to which the shoe bag might otherwise swing and bang as the door is opened and closed.

The strips 12, 12, here shown are illustrated as formed of flexible material. The loops are of suflicient length to permit an individual shoe to be inserted within each loop and to be held thereby against the panel 11. It is preferred to position the shoes with their sides against the panel and to suspend the shoes with their heels and open ankle portions bearing against the loops. A pair of shoes S, S, so suspended, is illustrated in Fig. 1. Thus suspended, the shoes occupy a minimum of space and project a minimum distance from the panel 11.

Because no pockets are employed, no dust or dirt is collected in the shoe bag, clean shoes do not accumulate dirt, and it is easy to keep the shoe bag clean.

In order to cover the shoes in the bag and to prevent their contact with adjacent clothing or other articles, a cover 19 is provided for the panel 11 to overlie the shoes when held as described. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the cover 151 is shown as being fixed along an edge of the panel 11 and being made of flexible material of sufiicient extent to cover the shoes as they project outwardly from the panel. It will be understood, however, that the cover 19 is not necessarily a separate piece of material, but may be a continuation of the panel 11.

Means is provided 011 edges of the cover 19 to hold the cover in substantially closed position over the panel 11 and the shoes thereon. Such means is here shown as a plurality of snap fastener elements 20 suitably fixed along two edges of the cover 19, and co-acting snap fastener elements 21 suitably fixed along corresponding hems or reinforcements 15 of the panel 11. Such elements are usually metallic. Clearly, the snap fastener elements 20 which are fixed along an edge of the cover at right angles to the edge thereof which is fixed to the panel 11, must be more widely spaced apart than are the co acting snap fastener elements 21 on the panel, in order to allow the cover 19 to bow outwardly when closed over the panel with the shoes in place thereon.

As will be evident, a shoe bag such as that disclosed in Fig. 1, facilitates rolling of the bag with the shoes therein for packing and transportation. Thus the shoes S remain in the position shown and rolling of the shoe bag 10, from left to right or from right to left as shown in Fig. 1, then becomes a very simple matter. The strips 12, 12 do not stiffen the panel 11 as do the usual shoe pockets. Furthermore, the strips permit the shoes to 3 adjust their positions as may be necessary during rolling of the bag.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 shows a shoe bag 10a which is formed generally as a box having a panel 11a similar to the panel 11 illustrated in Fig. 1 with strips 12 fixed thereon exactly in the manner already described.

Side panels 22, 22, and top and bottom panels 23 and 24, respectively, are fixed along their longitudinal edges to the panel 11a and along their short lateral edges to the respective adjacent panels. A front panel 25 is fixed along the longitudinal edges of the side panels and the top and bottom panels distant from those which are attached to the panel 11a, thereby completing the box-like form of the shoe bag 10a which is illustrated in Fig. 2.

In order that access may be had to the interior of this shoe bag, a cover 19a is provided to open and close with respect to the front panel 25, being permanently fixed thereto along one edge and being held in closed position by means here shown as a zipper comprising coacting members 20a upon the cover and 21a upon the panel 25. Thus a control member 26 may be moved about the opening into which the cover 19a fits to open or close the cover for the purpose of removing or protecting the shoes S, S, carried by the strips 12, 12, within the shoe bag 10a.

The shoe bag 10a may be made of any suitable material, preferably a fiexbile material as that suggested above in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1.

Furthermore, eyelets 16a, 1611 may be provided for sup 5 port of the shoe bag in the manner already described in connection with Fig. 1. In any event the advantages referred to in connection with the embodiment previously described apply equally to the shoe bag here illustrated.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the invention discloses a shoe bag wherein the shoes are sepa' rately supported upon a panel without employing the usual pockets, and wherein the collection of dust and dirt and its contact with the shoes in the bag is completely avoided. Furthermore, shoe bags constructed in accord- 1 ance with the invention are simply and easily covered to prevent the shoes therein from coming in contact with adjacent objects, as clothing in a closet. Also, when shoe bags constructed in accordance with the invention are made of flexible material, it is a simple and easy matter to roll the pocketless bag with the shoes therein for packing and transportation. Such shoe bags are of simple construction and are inexpensive and convenient in every way. They also may be made of material, color and design to match garment bags hung in the same closet or other location.

The forms of the invention here described and illustrated are presented merely as example of how the invention may be applied. Other forms and embodiments of the invention, coming within the proper scope of the appended claims, will, of course, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

1 claim:

1. A shoe support comprising: a flexible panel, means for hanging said panel, a tape intermittently fixed to said panel whereby to provide a plurality of open-ended loops of said tape upon said'panel adapted to support shoes hung thereon in loosely adjustable position against said panel, a cover for said panel overlying the shoes and protecting adjacent garments therefrom, and releasable means for holding said cover in closed position with respect to said panel whereby to cover the shoes supported by said panel and permit access thereto, said support being adapted to be rolled into closed position for transporting or storing shoes retained therein.

2. A flexible shoe bag comprising: a back panel, means for hanging said panel, a strip intermittently fixed to said back panel providing a series of loops of said strips for hanging shoes thereon in loosely adjustable position, top, bottom and side panels secured at longitudinal edges inwardly of the edges of said back panel and at their shorter edges to shorter edges of adjacent top, bottom and side panels, respectively, a front panel substantially equal in extent to said back panel fixed at its edges to the outer edges of said respective top, bottom and side panels, said front panel having an opening therein for insertion and removal of shoes with respect to said shoe bag, and zipper fastening means applied to the edges of said opening, said flexible bag being adapted to be rolled into closed position for transporting or storing shoes retained therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,133,018 Freid Mar. 23, 1915 1,703,139 Falcone et a1. Feb. 26, 1929 2,003,100 Arpin May 28, 1935 2,016,520 Short Oct. 8, 1935 2,131,583 Crotty'et al Sept. 27, 1938 2,261,291 Salabsky Nov. 4, 1941 2,321,807 Gllckman June 15, 1943 2,359,372 Leader Oct. 3, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 336,215 Great Britain Apr. 6, 1929 

